1929
Born on 14th November in Hamburg to the dressmaker Martha Janssen from Oldenburg. Brought up in Oldenburg by his mother and grandparents in Lerchenstraße 14. He never knew his father. Adopted by his grandfather.

1939
Death of his grandfather followed by adoption by the Guardianship Court

1943
Death of his mother
1942
Pupil at the Nationalpolitischen Erziehungsanstalt (Napola - National Political Education Institute) in Haselünne, Emsland, where art teacher Hans Wienhausen encouraged his artistic talent
1944
Adoption by his mother’s younger sister Anna Janssen, who lived in Hamburg

1945
Move to Hamburg. He spent the end of the war and the post-war period with his Aunt Anna in Burchardstraße, later they moved to Warburgstraße (Harvestehude).
1946
Enrolled at the Landeskunstschule (Regional Art School) in Hamburg at 16 years of age From the beginning master pupil of Alfred Mahlau

1947
First publication of a drawing in the weekly journal "Die Zeit "
1948
Publication of his first book, the children’s book "Is everybody there ...